The Facility Perspective: What Goes Into Running an Equine Event Venue

The League of Agricultural and Equine Centers promotes and supports facility management, draws people together, and offers a network of experts that brings awareness of best practices, new developments, and looks to the horizon to prepare for the future. 

Meet the Experts:

• Joe La Follette, Chair of the LAEC, manages the Boulder County Fairgrounds in Longmont, CO. 
• Cammie Pearson, LAEC Board of Director, is the Recreation Manager for the Lavaca-Navidad River Authority (LNRA) which owns and operates the Brackenridge Recreation Complex in Edna, TX.
• Brian Dygert lends his facility management background to the conversation from his years at Westworld of Scottsdale and the Bob Martin Eastern Ag Center.
• Jody Brainard brings his own insight from the perspective of a competitor, trainer, coach and judge.

The League creates a family network feel to a competitive sector of the equine industry with the ultimate goal of unifying event venues in a way that leads to greater consistency in customer service and procedures across the nation. As the shutdowns from Covid proved, working together makes everyone better and aids the entire equine community by sharing knowledge rather than hoarding it. Their annual symposium will be hosted February 6-10, 2023 in Ocala, FL.

Challenges facing the industry (and how to meet them): 

• Shrinking agricultural lands reduces opportunity for youth to participate in 4-H & FFA projects. (Break down barriers with programs like the 4-H Horseless Horse Project, contact your local 4-H club to find out more.)
• Adapting to increased specificity of demand from diverse sectors. (The horse industry may be more resilient than others.)
• Labor shortages (Engage the university system to better promote and create paths for careers in facility management.)
• Manure management (We learn the term “entremanure”)